NFL consider widening of the field?

[Wolf]

The NFL reportedly might consider widening the playing field to Canadian Football League standards, a drastic idea that would be one of the bigger rules changes the game has seen in a long time – if it comes to pass.
The National Football Post reported that the league has talked about widening the field sideline-to-sideline from 160 feet to 195 feet, which is the CFL standard, and the league might look into the idea again this offseason.

The National Football Post said the competition committee discussed the idea a year ago. In theory, a wider field would be safer for a league that has much bigger and faster players than it did decades ago.
“I’m not so sure we shouldn’t think about widening the field,” former competition committee member Bill Polian told the National Football Post. “It’s a radical idea, but I think it’s worth thinking about. You would have more space and perhaps a safer game. I say that based on my CFL experience. There are less collisions of that type in the Canadian game.”
The idea of a wider field is radical, and although the league needs to improve player safety, it seems like changing the dimensions of the field would take a lot of convincing to a league that doesn't make major modifications very often.

The National Football Post story made the counter-argument that the wider field might not necessarily help player safety, because players would have more room to build up speed and have bigger collisions.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...4198--nfl.html

[steelbtexan]

Crazy

Just another step in ruining the game.

[Trap_Star]

[gwallaia]

I wonder if all the current NFL stadiums could accommodate this change?

[disaacks3]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

I wonder if all the current NFL stadiums could accommodate this change?

Only if they are relocating the benches elsewhere.

[Dutchrudder]

Well, it would help the offense a lot, so I guess there's a chance it could gain some support.

Personally, I would like to the see the NFL widen the sidelines, and add an extra 5-10 feet of buffer zone between the edge of the field and where the teams, benches and media can stand. I see too many instances of people working on the sideline getting smashed by some guy running out of bounds at full speed. I know the NFL doesn't care about the safety of those people, but a player could be hurt during that collision as well. As long as the referees and security enforce the line, everyone will still have a good view of the game and the players will be much less likely to hit anyone.

[Showtime100]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

I wonder if all the current NFL stadiums could accommodate this change?

Originally Posted by disaacks3

Only if they are relocating the benches elsewhere.

Lol, I think once they look around the league and realize how much money would have to be spent at almost, if not every venue, they'll quietly drop the thought.

I already can see the reaction of the foreman working the Niners new home in Santa Clara when his subordinate comes to him with "changes in the lower deck."

[Vinny]

It wouldn't be the NFL anymore. The wider field makes it a league full of smaller players to work in space and lessons the impact of the larger players like O linemen and front 7 defenders. A big part of the NFL is the size and strength of the athletes imposing their physical fortunes around. The CFL is just full of water flies because the field never shrinks (25 yard end zones) and the field is wide. You don't tend to see big physical freaks in the CFL...just Doug Flutie sized quarterbacks and small RnS wide outs and lots of spread offense. Arena league...CFL.....both junk football.

[Trap_Star]

You don't need to widen the field, just widen the hash marks like with the NCAA. You widen the field and that just gives defenders more space and time to pick up speed and blast the ball carrier.

[Playoffs]

[Giant Tiger]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

I wonder if all the current NFL stadiums could accommodate this change?

Back when the CFL expanded to the US, there were a couple of fields that weren't set up for this width. IIRC, Memphis had moved the benches back, but you could tell where they normally were. Looked like somebody just painted some lines in; plus it looked as hard as concrete.

[pirbroke]

I think we should just add a flagpole in the end zone, maybe even a little hill :-)

[Double Barrel]

Why "fix" what is not broken?

[CretorFrigg]

This will completely change the dynamics of the game, and I don't like it at all. Don't change the game I love.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Why "fix" what is not broken?

To increase the offenses advantage just like most other rules changes have in recent years .... which results in more scoring and shoot out type games rather than a 7-3 result.

Hell , whens the last time we saw a game end with 10 or less points total ?!


The league seems to think that more scoring means more excitement and .... more dollars.

[gg no re]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Hell , whens the last time we saw a game end with 10 or less points total ?!

The league seems to think that more scoring means more excitement and .... more dollars.

If I'm Jacksonville, I'm pushing for a wider field just to get rid of the tarps...

[NitroGSXR]

Originally Posted by pirbroke

I think we should just add a flagpole in the end zone, maybe even a little hill :-)

You think Bob's Hill got a nice ring to it? Yeah... Tal agrees.

[TexanSam]

Why don't they just widen the hash marks instead?

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

Why don't they just widen the hash marks instead?

How does that increase scoring (by increasing offensive advantage)?!

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

To increase the offenses advantage just like most other rules changes have in recent years .... which results in more scoring and shoot out type games rather than a 7-3 result.

Hell , whens the last time we saw a game end with 10 or less points total ?!


The league seems to think that more scoring means more excitement and .... more dollars.

Widen the field, eliminate kick offs, what next?! No tackling, ball down on first contact?

At some point, they might end up changing the game to a point that loses my interest. It's not a threat to no longer be a fan. It's just a sad reality that I might just lose any interest when it becomes arena football on a big field.